Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) is one method which is used to produce olefins, especially propylene, from heavy crude fractions. There are reports in the literature that vegetable oils such as canola oil could be processed using FCC to give a hydrocarbon stream useful as a gasoline fuel.
Applicants have developed a process which successfully converts vegetable oils and greases to C2-C5 olefins. The process involves first removing contaminants such as alkali metals and then taking the purified feedstock, flowing it through an FCC zone and collecting a product stream comprised of olefins.